Upstate Set For Key Weekend In Jacksonville
10/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 22, 2009
Game Notes | Live Stats - North Florida | ASun.TV
Spartanburg, S.C. - USC Upstate is set for an important weekend on the road in Jacksonville as the season winds down and teams jockey for position in the A-Sun standings. Upstate will face Jacksonville on Friday and North Florida on Sunday in games that will be key to all three teams' chances for a spot in the A-Sun Tournament. Upstate enters the weekend with a 1-2-2 record and five points in the conference. Jacksonville stands 1-4-0 with three points in the league, while North Florida is 2-2-1 with seven points in the A-Sun.
Upstate is 1-3-0 all-time against Jacksonville and dropped a 3-2 decision to the Dolphins last year at County University Soccer Stadium. The Spartans are 8-3-1 all-time against North Florida, though the Ospreys took a 3-0 win last year in Spartanburg.
Fans not in attendance at either the Jacksonville or North Florida games can watch the action live on ASun.TV by visiting www.asun.tv and clicking the Jacksonville and North Florida tabs for the appropriate game. Live statistics will also be available for the North Florida game via the official UNF Athletics Web site, www.unfospreys.com.
Looking Back At Stetson And Florida Gulf Coast
Upstate and Stetson played in a steady and heavy rain last Friday and after 90 minutes and the game tied at 1-1, the officials called the game due to the field becoming unplayable. Heavy rain had pelted the Spartanburg area for the better part of a week leading up to the game and between the women's match which was played prior to the Stetson game and the abuse the field took during the men's contest, the game was halted at the end of regulation. Maurice Beggs notched the goal for Upstate, while Stetson's Fredrik Brustad scored in the 83rd minute to force the tie. With the stadium field still unplayable, Upstate and Florida Gulf Coast played on one of Upstate's practice fields Sunday. While neither team found a way to score in regulation, FGCU's Westin Vallentine scored in the sixth minute of overtime to deliver a 1-0 win for the Eagles.
Spartans Battling For A-Sun Tournament Spot
To say that this weekend's games are crucial as Upstate looks to earn one of six spots in the A-Sun Tournament is an understatement. Upstate is currently tied for seventh with Lipscomb in the A-Sun standings with five points. However, with Florida Gulf Coast ineligible for postseason play during its transition to DI, Upstate is currently tied for the sixth and final spot in the A-Sun Tournament. Jacksonville is in last place in the league standings with three points, but a good weekend for the Dolphins would put them in the hunt for a spot in the tournament. North Florida is in position for the No. 4 seed, but is just two points ahead of Upstate in the standings. Therefore, Upstate has its destiny in its own hands and this weekend's games will go a long way in determining postseason positioning.
Spartans In The A-Sun
Upstate continues to turn in solid performances on the field and a look at the latest A-Sun statistical report shows the Spartans have made progress in the status of the program this season. Upstate currently ranks second in the A-Sun with 76 saves on the year, third with 17 goals allowed, fourth with a 1.35 goals against average and fourth with 14 assists and 1.17 assists per game. Individually, Timo Foerster ranks third in the A-Sun with five assists and 0.42 assists per game. Pat Regna tops the conference with 74 saves and a 6.17 saves per game average, while ranking fifth with a 1.35 goals against average.
Securing A Division I First
Heading into the game at ETSU on Oct. 4, Upstate had yet to record a shutout as a member of NCAA Division I. With Pat Regna in goal and a bend but don't break defense, the Spartans secured the shutout and tie to give the program its first DI shutout.
Regna Earns A-Sun, Goal.com Weekly Honors
After a tremendous week when he collected 19 saves and made several extraordinary saves to lead Upstate to a pair of victories over Georgia Southern (3-1, Sept. 23) and Presbyterian (2-1, 2OT, Sept. 26), Spartan goalkeeper Pat Regna earned A-Sun Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 28. It marked the fourth A-Sun weekly honor for a Spartan men's soccer player since Upstate moved to Division I and the conference in 2007. Regna also received national honors by Goal.com when he was one of 11 players across the country named to the Web site's Team of the Week.
Upstate Versus The A-Sun
As Upstate moves into A-Sun play, it is noteworthy to chronicle the Spartans' performance against A-Sun member institutions. Upstate has played A-Sun member schools 37 times and is 15-18-4 all-time against the league. In the Spartans' two seasons playing in the A-Sun prior to this year, Upstate owns a 5-15-3 record against conference schools.
Upstate Sheds Provisional Status, Now Fully DI Eligible
While Upstate men's soccer is just in its third year of competing on the NCAA Division I level, it is now fully eligible for postseason A-Sun and NCAA tournament play in 2009. Upstate, upon declaring its intention to move to DI membership, tapped the men's soccer and softball teams as fast-track sports into NCAA Division I. After two seasons playing on the DI level, men's soccer and softball are now fully eligible members.
Spartans Strong At Home
Since moving into County University Soccer Stadium, the Upstate men's soccer program has been tough to beat. Actually, since the inception of the program in 1980, the Spartans have been stout on the Spartanburg campus. Upstate is an impressive 58-19-4 at the friendly confines of County University Soccer Stadium for a winning percentage of .741. Overall, Upstate is 226-53-14 at home for an .795 winning percentage in Spartanburg. Upstate played its first season in the quad behind the Administrative Building prior to moving to historic Rifle Field in 1981. The Spartans (then, the Rifles) tallied a 162-30-10 record for an .802 winning percentage at Rifle Field.
Spartan Soccer - A Story Of Success
While the USC Upstate Athletics Department has had a storied history of success throughout its existence, the men's soccer program has achieved success on a more consistent level than any other program at the University. Upstate men's soccer finished third in the NAIA National Tournament three straight years from 1983-85 and made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in 16 years in the NCAA Division II. The Spartans claimed seven regular season Peach Belt Conference championships, nine Peach Belt Conference Tournament titles, and advanced to the championship game of the league tournament 14 times in 16 years.
